Acetylene-storage tank.



J. H. JAMES.

ACETYLENE STORAGE TANK.

PFLICATION TILED 00" Patented Mar. 11, 191:2,

' NITED STATES PA'IENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HIDY JAMES, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 SEARCHLIGHT GAS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ACETYLENE-STORAGE TANK.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

Application filed October 16, 1911. Serial No. 654,868.

. of a local decom osition of the acetylene to the main body 0 the gas and solvent. And it has been demonstrated that to prevent such decomposition the diameter of the openings in the poroiis material should not exceed five-tenths of one millimeter.

The present invention is directed to providing an' absorbent material the pores of which do not exceed the size stated, while the solid matter of such material occupies a minimum part of the tank-inclosed space. It is only under these conditions that a maximum charge of solvent and gas is possible, it being' always necessaryto provide a space again as large as that occupied by the solvent when free of gas, the solvent extending in bulk to this extent when it has received a'commercial charge of acetylene. I have found that the cellular pith of plants of the order Graminem fulfils all of the requirements in a highly efiicient manner. Commercially, the materials best suited for the purpose is the pith of Indian corn, broom corn, sugar cane, and the like. Owing to the peculiar cellular structure or arrangement of these piths it is possible to obtain a porosity of ninety per cent, approximately'only ten per cent. of the packed space being occupied by the solid matter of the pith when compressed to a point where it makes an efiicient filling. Such pith is so resilient that when properly packed there is no danger of the material settling and forming dangerous voids.

The filling may consist entirely of pith of the character stated which may be either packed directly into the tanks, or it may be molded into blocks ofsuch size and shape as will completely fill the tank. If for any reason it may be desired to adulterate the pith, as for instance to cause'it to resist such heat as might result in charring, the pith may be mixed with a suitable quantity of inert material, such as asbestos or infusorial earth. Substances present in the piths of the kind stated may alone serve as a binder, or any inert organic or inorganic cement may be used that will not dissolve in the solvent. In this connection I'may mention sodium silicate, colloidal silicic acid, albumen, glue, etc. 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a tank in which the porous filling material has been packed, a portion of the tank being broken away. Fig. 2 is a view of a molded block or section of the material.

In practice, the cylinder A may be packed with an indiscriminate mass of the absorbent material B, or the material may be formed into blocks or sections C, Fig. 2, which when assembled within the tank fully fill the-same. The material comprises a commercial commodity which may be sold separately from the tanks, either loose or in block form, as desired.

I claim 1. A tank substantially filled with corn pith, and a solvent for acetylene gas.

2. The combination with an acetylene gas storage tank, of an absorbent filling therein 1 consisting of a compressed resilient body of pith of plants of the order Graminece, and a solvent for acetylene gas.

3; A tank substantially filled with pith of plants of the order Gramz'neaa, and a solvent for acetylene gas.

4. "A tank substantially filled with pit-h of lants of the order Gramiywaa having a binder, and a solvent for acetylene gas.

5. A tank substantially filled with pith of plants of the order Gramincw and infusorial earth provided with a binder, and a solvent for acetylene gas.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature two witnesses. JOSEPH HIDY JAMES.

Witnesses:

F E. GAITHER,

J. M. NEsBIr.

in presence 0 

